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Legislators: Train Saps Road Fund (NM: Richardson's Railroad)
The Albuquerque Journal ^ | January 14, 2006 | Jeff Jones

Posted on 01/14/2006 10:30:24 AM PST by CedarDave

SANTA FE— One lawmaker called it a "shell game." Another described it as "Enron-style accounting."

The Richardson administration's plan to pay for its $390 million RailRunnerExpress commuter train by digging deeper into a fund intended to pay for roads is coming under fire.

A new legislative analysis shows the 2003 transportation package known as GRIP now has far less for road projects than lawmakers were told.

State Transportation Secretary Rhonda Faught said concerns are unfounded and there will be enough money to build all road projects.

Rep. Dan Foley, R-Roswell, a frequent critic of Gov. Bill Richardson, said he plans to ask Attorney General Patricia Madrid for a legal opinion on the Transportation Department's money shuffling. "The law has never been something to slow down this administration," said Foley, who described the money shuffling as "Enron-style accounting."

When told that Foley was concerned some road projects in the 2003 package aren't now being funded by it, she said, "That's an easy change. I can move dollars over ... It's an accounting issue."

For many of the road projects in the 2003 package, transportation officials have made double-digit cuts in the amount of GRIP money. Two road projects listed in the package now have no money from the GRIP program.

At the same time, the state is using nearly $200 million more from GRIP to fund the train.

Sen. Tim Jennings, D-Roswell, asked: "If they take money away from (GRIP) and (take from) another pot to make up for the shortfall in GRIP, then where are we? "Then we're back into a shell game, and we're not really being truthful with the folks."

Richardson spokesman Pahl Shipley dismissed the criticism. "The bottom line is every GRIP project will be completed without asking taxpayers for extra money," Shipley said.

(Excerpt) Read more at abqjournal.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: New Mexico
KEYWORDS: billrichardson; kingbill; railrunner; richardson; richardsonsrailroad
A couple of interesting points.
First, Richardson has named the road projects after himself: GRIP stands for "Governor Richardson's Investment Partnership".
Second, Democrat Jennings criticism will mean that once again some of his capital improvement projects approved by the legislature will be line item vetoed by Richardson. You don't play his game, you're shut out of the money, no matter how important the projects are for your district.
Third, one of the two roads that received zero funding was a state highway that serves the oil patch and is receiving very heavy truck traffic to drill and service the oil wells in the vicinity of the road. Safety when it comes to highways that carry hazardous loads, including oil transport whose royalties provide some of the funds for Richardson's Railroad, loses compared to his showy railroad project.
1 posted on 01/14/2006 10:30:28 AM PST by CedarDave
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To: Tijeras_Slim; elkfersupper; razorback-bert

One of the roads that lost all money was NM 8 from west of Eunice past Monument to the junction with US highway 62-180. The other was a section of US 285, likely the portion from Clines Corners north to Lamy (the southern portion was made four-lane under Governor Johnson using some WIPP funds).


2 posted on 01/14/2006 10:35:50 AM PST by CedarDave
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To: CedarDave

Do a keyword search using the keyword RICHARDSONSRAILROAD for other related articles.

3 posted on 01/14/2006 10:40:09 AM PST by CedarDave
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To: CedarDave

Politicians just can't stand the freedom which is enabled by privately-owned and operated vehicles on public roads.


4 posted on 01/15/2006 10:21:23 AM PST by elkfersupper
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To: CedarDave; elkfersupper; NerdDad; Squantos; Dog Gone

Hwy 529 could use some work and hwy 31 from JAL to Carlsbab.

Right now I am driving 48 miles down a bad county road in Culberston county, it's almost a rez road.


5 posted on 01/15/2006 2:31:23 PM PST by razorback-bert
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To: razorback-bert
Hwy 529 could use some work and hwy 31 from JAL to Carlsbab.

Sometimes it's better not to get what you ask for. As soon as they improve it, they will find some way to make YOU pay for it.

Some E-Range-load tires, lots of lube and an occasional suspension rebuild is probably cheaper.

6 posted on 01/15/2006 3:01:34 PM PST by elkfersupper
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